Rebirth in Hong Kong: From Dessert Shop to Industrial Empire

Chapter 101 Strip him naked until he dies (Seeking monthly votes and recommendations to continue reading)

Jackie Chan was a contracted actor with Lo Wei Film Company. Although he didn't make Jackie Chan famous, he was "discovered" by Lo Wei.

Now, Lo Wei himself has failed to capitalize on Jackie Chan's strengths to make money. Instead, Chan Kee Foods has reaped the benefits, using his actors to advertise and making a fortune!
He instantly felt like he'd lost out if he didn't find any money on the street.

How could he swallow this insult?

"Where's Ah Long? Bring him here!" Luo Wei roared at his secretary.

Soon, Cheng Long walked nervously into the office.

"Mr. Luo, you were looking for me?"

"Smack!" Luo Wei slammed the newspaper with the Jinba advertisement onto Cheng Long's feet. "Ah Long!"
Explain yourself!
What's going on?!

Cheng Long looked down and his heart skipped a beat. He knew Luo Wei would see it sooner or later, but he didn't expect such a strong reaction.

"Mr. Luo, this...this is the advertisement for Chen Ji Foods that I mentioned to you before."

"You mentioned it? I don't remember agreeing to it!" Lowe interrupted him rudely, pointing to the newspaper, "Look!"

Look!
Now the whole of Hong Kong knows that you, Cheng Lung, are advertising for Chan Kee!
Do you even consider me your boss anymore?

Is Lo Wei Pictures still around?!

“Mr. Luo,” Cheng Long tried to explain, “I mentioned it to you back then, you said…”

"What did I say? Did I tell you to go and film it?!"

Luo Wei wouldn't listen to any explanation, his anger blazing. "Do you even know who you are now?"
You're an actor with Lo Wei Films!
Your image and your time belong to the company!
Who gave you permission to accept advertising shoots without authorization?
Do you even respect the spirit of contracts?

He became more and more excited as he spoke, his spittle almost spraying onto Cheng Long's face: "Chen Ji!"
A nouveau riche who sells sweet soup!

Just because you have a few bucks, you dare to poach my employees?
Using my actors?

Ah Long, do you think you've gotten too big for your britches just because "Drunken Master" became popular?
"So you can disregard company arrangements now?!"

Cheng Long turned pale from the scolding and lowered his head, not daring to refute.

He felt both wronged and helpless.

He did consult with Luo Wei about shooting the advertisement, but Luo Wei himself didn't care.

Moreover, the compensation Chen Ji offered was very generous, which greatly helped his financial situation at the time.

More importantly, Chen Bingwen always treated him with respect, unlike Luo Wei who would order him around at any time.

But at this moment, he could only silently endure Luo Wei's wrath.

"Fine! Very well!" Seeing that Cheng Long remained silent, Luo Wei became even more furious. "You're not going to say anything, are you?"
Fine! I'm telling you, this isn't over!

"Chen Ji dared to poach my people and exploit my actors; I, Luo Wei, am not one to be trifled with!"

He grabbed the phone and dialed a number: "Hello! Is this Attorney Zhang?"
Come to my office right now!
"Yes! Immediately! I'm going to sue Chen Ji Foods! I'm going to sue them for infringement! Unfair competition! They poached my customers! I'll make them regret it!"

After hanging up the phone, Luo Wei glared fiercely at Cheng Long: "Ah Long, you listen to me too!"
From today onwards, you are not allowed to accept any outside activities without my permission!
Especially that Chen's shop! Stay away from them! Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!

Cheng Long's heart sank, and he nodded helplessly before leaving Luo Wei's office.

He walked back with heavy steps, Luo Wei's roar and threats still faintly echoing in his ears. The threat of "making Chen Ji suffer" weighed on his heart like a boulder.

He knew Luo Wei's temperament well; he was petty, narrow-minded, and vindictive.

Lo Wei will definitely not let this endorsement deal go unresolved.

Chen Bingwen and Chen Ji had been kind to him, and the advertising fees had relieved his immediate financial crisis; he couldn't let them suffer as a burden.

With that in mind, he quickly found a public phone on the street and dialed Chen Bingwen's office number.

As soon as the call connected, Cheng Long said guiltily, "Mr. Chen! This is Chen Long! Something terrible has happened! It's Mr. Luo Weita!"

On the other end of the phone, Chen Bingwen chuckled and comforted him, "Ah Long, take your time. What's wrong? Is Luo Wei angry?"

"Yes, Mr. Chen!" Cheng Long said urgently, "He saw the Jinba advertisement and is furious!"
They said I accepted the advertising shoot without permission, violating the contract!
He hired a lawyer and threatened to sue Chenji! He said he'd sue them for copyright infringement!

Unfair competition!
Steal his man!

He said he'd make sure Chen's family suffered a terrible fate!
Mr. Chen, I'm sorry, I've dragged you into this."

Li Long's voice on the phone was filled with self-reproach.

To Cheng Long's surprise, Chen Bingwen showed no panic whatsoever. Instead, he chuckled lightly, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing the weather:

"Hehe, Ah Long, don't be nervous. I expected this a long time ago."

"Huh? Mr. Chen, you...you expected this all along?" Cheng Long was stunned.

"Of course. I know a little about who Luo Wei is."

He couldn't make you famous, and now that he sees you've become popular because of "Drunken Master" and my Chen Ji's advertisement, he must be feeling resentful.

Envy and jealousy lead them to seek trouble, try to extort money from others, or simply vent their anger.

This reaction is perfectly normal.

Chen Bingwen paused for a moment, then comforted him, "Ah Long, don't worry. This matter has little to do with you."

Focus on filming and cooperate with the promotion of "Drunken Master".

Leave Luo Wei's situation to me.

I guarantee he won't cause any trouble.

Remember, focus on developing your career; don't worry about anything else.

Chen Bingwen's confident tone instantly calmed Cheng Long's panicked heart.

"Mr. Chen, are you really alright? What about Mr. Luo?"

"Don't worry, I said it's nothing, and it's nothing." Chen Bingwen interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "You just do your thing."

Remember what I said, don't worry, call me if anything happens. That's all for now.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Bingwen's smile vanished.

After a moment's thought, he pressed the intercom: "Notify Director Ling, Director Fang, and the newly appointed legal counsel, Attorney Gu Yongxian, to come to my office immediately."

A few minutes later, Ling Peiyi, Fang Wenshan, and the newly appointed legal counsel Gu Yongxian gathered in Chen Bingwen's office. "Mr. Chen, you wanted to see us?" Ling Peiyi asked.

Chen Bingwen nodded and got straight to the point: "I just received a call from Cheng Long."

Luo Wei was furious when he saw the Jinba advertisement. He hired a lawyer and threatened to sue Chenji Foods for infringement, unfair competition, poaching their talent, and using the image and influence of their contracted actor Cheng Long without permission.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yongxian immediately frowned. As a senior lawyer, his first thought was about the legal risks: "Mr. Chen, if the situation is true, this is indeed a problem."

Jackie Chan is currently still nominally a contracted actor with Lo Wei Films, and the contract usually contains restrictions on artists taking on external advertising projects.

If Lo Wei can prove that we used Jackie Chan's image for commercial promotion without his consent, we may face infringement lawsuits and may even be required to stop using the relevant advertisements and compensate for losses.

The lawsuit itself can also damage the company's reputation.

He spoke quickly, analyzing the potential risks: "We need to immediately review the advertising endorsement contract we signed with Jackie Chan, confirm the scope of authorization, and at the same time investigate the details of Jackie Chan's contract with Lo Wei Films."

Our immediate priority is to gather evidence in our favor and prepare for any legal action Rowe may take.”

Gu Yongxian was seriously analyzing the countermeasures when he noticed that Chen Bingwen's face showed no worry, but rather a mysterious smile, even a hint of mockery.

"Hahahaha!" Chen Bingwen suddenly laughed, his laughter hearty and carrying a sense of complete control. "Attorney Gu, don't be nervous."

"Director Ling, please show the original copy of the endorsement contract we signed with Cheng Long for Jinba beverage to Attorney Gu."

Ling Peiyi smiled and nodded, then immediately turned and left Chen Bingwen's office.

In no time, he returned with a beautifully bound contract and handed it to Gu Yongxian.

Gu Yongxian took the contract with some doubt, turned to the first page, and his eyes fell on the position of Party A (the client).

His pupils suddenly contracted!

The contract clearly states that Party A wrote:

Client: Sugar Heart Capital
(Place of registration: Cayman Islands)
He quickly flipped to the signature page.

The signature area for Party B prominently displayed a fluent English signature: JACK CHEN!

Gu Yongxian suddenly raised his head and looked at Chen Bingwen with some shock.

My worries vanished instantly, replaced by admiration for the young boss's foresight!
"Chen Sheng! That's brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

Gu Yongxian couldn't help but exclaim, "You've dug a huge pit for Luo Wei!"

Vincent Fang and Ling Pei-yee also exchanged knowing smiles.

As participants in the previous endorsement contract, they naturally knew the "hidden secrets" of this contract.

Chen Bingwen leaned back in his chair, a playful smile playing on his lips:

"Isn't Luo Wei going to sue?"

Let him sue.

However, he needs to figure out first who he wants to sue.

He paused, then smiled and continued:

“Our external publicity, product packaging, and advertising are handled by ‘Chenji Food Co., Ltd.’, but the party that signed the contract with Cheng Long is ‘Sugar Heart Capital,’ an offshore company registered in the Cayman Islands.”

Is Lo Wei going to sue for copyright infringement? Is he suing 'Chen Ji Foods'?
The chain of evidence doesn't match.

He sued 'Sugarheart Capital'?
A shell company registered in the Cayman Islands has difficulty even finding a physical office location, making the service of summonses a major problem.

In addition, Jackie Chan signed his English name 'JACK CHEN'.

Although everyone knows this is his stage name, it can become a point of contention in legal documents, especially in cases involving transnational litigation.

Lo Wei needed to go through some trouble to prove that the signature represented Jackie Chan, the actor in his contract.

Finally, there is the issue of applicable law.

Whether it's Cayman Islands law or Hong Kong law.

Regardless of the method, it would be extremely complicated and cumbersome for Lo Wei to sue a Cayman company in Hong Kong.

The preliminary procedures alone, such as determining the plaintiffs, serving documents, and selecting the applicable law, can drag on for a year and a half.

As for the costs of filing a lawsuit, these include attorney fees, investigation fees, and travel expenses in cross-border litigation.
"Can a small company like Rowena withstand this kind of drain?"

Finally, Chen Bingwen concluded, "So, Attorney Gu, there's no need to be nervous."

If Luo Wei wants to sue, let him sue.

Everything will proceed according to legal procedures.

Remember one word: delay! Use every legal means to prolong the process and increase costs.

I want to see how much wealth Luo Wei has to squander on this!
When he's overwhelmed and exhausted by the complicated international litigation process, he'll naturally realize how daunting it is.

That's what you call 'stripping him naked until he's completely exhausted'!

Gu Yongxian now fully understood Chen Bingwen's plan, and his heart was no longer filled with worry, but rather with excitement.

This kind of high-level business legal game is precisely the stage for seasoned lawyers like him.

He stood up and said confidently, "Mr. Chen, I understand! Don't worry, leave this to me."

We guarantee that Mr. Lowe will fully experience what 'the fun of transnational litigation' is all about.

He wants to play, so we'll play with him until he can't play anymore!

"Very good." Chen Bingwen nodded in satisfaction, then added, "Also, Director Ling, please make the arrangements..."
Once Luo Wei officially sends a lawyer's letter or there are media reports, we will take the initiative.

I'll 'leak' to a few media outlets with which I have a good relationship, saying that Lo Wei Films is jealous of the success of "Drunken Master" and Jackie Chan's career development, and is making trouble unreasonably, trying to suppress its artists, and even resorting to lawsuits for commercial extortion.

First, stir up public opinion and then claim the moral high ground.

"Understood, Mr. Chen!" Fang Wenshan replied immediately.

Before a legal battle ignited by Luo Wei's anger could even officially begin, Chen Bingwen's ingenious plan had already led him into a dead end, a path destined to mired him in a quagmire, costing him dearly but yielding little result.

At this moment, Luo Wei's anger seemed to Chen Bingwen more like an impending, costly farce.

(End of this chapter)